Where there's smoke
by Danaides
Summary: My first Element Challenge fic - a response to recent element challenge posted at YTDAW. Please R&R. Hint of GS.


**DISCLAIMERS: The characters and any other references to CSI are not mine.**

**SPOILERS: NONE**

**A/N: This is my first attempt at an element challenge, which was posted at YTDAW forum. Please R&R! Hints of G/S because I can't help myself.**

"Nick, you have a B&E in Henderson. Cath, DB in the desert. Since Warrick's off tonight you can take Greg. Have fun." Grissom suppressed as smirk as he caught Catherine's eye. Catherine sighed and grabbed the assignment slip from Grissom's grasp with a sarcastic "Thanks."

"**Did you happen to catch the news this evening?" **Grissom looked up from their assignment slip and waited for Sara to respond.

"No – why?" Sara replied with her eyebrows raised in curiosity.

"Because there was an explosion at an abandoned warehouse off Industrial and the subsequent inferno made the news."

"Hmm, a night of wading through a warehouse full of the black sludge the firemen always leave behind. You do know how to show a girl a good time." Sara rolled her eyes and turned to grab her jacket off the back of her chair.

"Fireman also found a DB." Grissom said quietly.

"Hmm... now I'm interested." Sara replied with a small smile.

The Fire Marshall had cleared the warehouse and the two CSI's entered. Smoke was still lingering in the air and Sara couldn't stop herself from coughing.

"Maybe we should get you a mask." Grissom eyed Sara with concern.

"I'm fine, thanks." Sara continued walking until the **dimming glow of the flashlight** in her hand landed on a dark mound. She squatted down to take a look closer. The smell was unmistakable.

"I'll start processing the body", Sara jumped slightly at Grissom's voice directly behind her, "you keep searching the building."

Sara opened her mouth to protest but then thought better of it. "Fine."

Sara searched every inch of the empty warehouse. Just as she about to return to Grissom and the body, a small movement caught her eye. A large rat scurried from under a pile of wet plywood and Sara jumped back in surprise. The rat ran out of sight and Sara's attention returned to the pile of wood.

"Hey Grissom! I got something-" Sara started as she approached Grissom's crouching form.

"Me too." Grissom was holding what appeared to be some metal fragments in his hand.

"Oh yeah. You first."

"Seems to be some sort of metallic shard – part of a bomb maybe."

"It's thick, maybe **a pipe bomb**?"

"You would need a lot of them to do so much damage to a warehouse this size. These fragments were under the body; maybe the perp was trying to hide something, like the true cause of death. Ok, your turn, what's that?" Grissom pointed to the backpack in Sara's hands.

"It's a badly charred backpack. Good quality though because the contents are intact. A rat was feasting on half of what I think was someone's lunch. No I.D. but there's athletic shorts, **a torn soccer jersey**, cleats and a notebook. If this belonged to the victim, he or she was just a kid."

"It could belong to the perp or have nothing to do with this crime at all."

"True."

Grissom sighed as he stood up. "Well, there's no use speculating yet, we need to finish processing the scene. The perimeter will take awhile so let's get started.

Several hours later Grissom and Sara put all their bagged evidence into the back of the Denali and climbed into the front.

"Doc Robbins should have started on the body by now." Grissom said as he started the SUV.

"Hopefully he'll be able to tell how the victim died. The body was such a mess." Sara shuddered as she remembered the smell.

"He won't have a report for us till tonight and shift's almost over anyway. We can drop off the evidence, then you should go home."

Sara stole a quick look at Grissom and took a deep breath before she spoke. "We could do that but we could also get some breakfast before we head back."

Grissom smiled but kept staring at the road. "We could?"

Sara reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out her wallet. She removed a **ten-dollar bill** and waved it in the air for emphasis. "My treat."

"Well, that is an offer I cannot refuse."

The End 


End file.
